Archive for February, 2009

I just remembered something this morning reading and listening to various outlets discuss Alex Rodriguez’ recent revelation and eventual admittance to using performance-enhancing drugs: The Players Association has screwed over A-Rod. Again.

First off, the MLBPA did not make A-Rod put the needle into his body, go on cycles, or whatever he did with steroids. That was completely his own act, and cannot blame anyone for that aspect of this whole issue.

But, that aside, the test and results were supposed to be concealed and kept quiet. Heck, the list of the 104 culprits was supposed to be used to start the next fire in Donald Fehr’s house. Instead, something that should have been destroyed by the MLBPA has completely burned Alex’s legacy and name.

The same organization that he had to completely succumb to their wishes for the betterment of all players in that same union.

When the Boston Red Sox were in talks with the Texas Rangers in the 2003-04 offseason, the trade of Manny Ramirez for A-Rod was very close to completion, with Alex agreeing to take a pay cut to the liking of the Red Sox. That’s how badly he wanted out of Texas: he was willing to lose money.

But then the MLBPA stepped in and practically told Alex that he could not accept a decrease in pay on the current contract, he sided with the union for the sake of all the other players. (Of course, a short time later, he was traded to the New York Yankees.)

The same union that in recent years has not listened to the players that wanted to have drug testing in place, and protected those that wanted something that would eventually tarnish the name of the game and anyone who plays.

And instead of protecting one of its own, it has now destroyed him.

On a tangent: I feel like this will be the straw that broke the camel’s back on how the union will operate under the current regime. I think that there could be a new director before the current CBA expires (December of 2011). The fact that the union can’t protect its players from itself, as well as the whole negative press that is coming from the greats of the past 25 years going down in public flames from steroid usage when they adamantly were against drug testing many years ago is proof enough that changes are coming.